The invention relates to a fluid dispenser comprising a dispensing member, such as a pump or a valve, and a receptacle forming a neck on which the pump or the valve is mounted by means of a metal fixing member.
Document DE-20 02 416 describes an aerosol device comprising a metal can forming a neck in which a valve is mounted by means of a fixing ring. A cap is mounted on the aerosol device by co-operating with an intermediate ring mounted on the fixing ring.
In Document DE-25 02 903, the aerosol device described includes a valve actuating head which is fixed on an intermediate ring mounted on the fixing ring for fixing the valve.
In certain cases, the dispenser includes a trim band mounted to mask the pump or the valve and the fixing member, at least in part.
That type of dispenser is used in particular in the fields of perfumes or of cosmetics, for the purpose of dispensing creams or perfumes. The shape of the trim band can then be attractive in appearance and can be in harmony with the shape of the receptacle. Such a dispenser generally includes a pump which is fixed to the neck of the receptacle by means of a metal ring in which the pump is crimped. The ring is further provided with a threaded sleeve to performing the fixing by screwing onto the neck of the receptacle.
Since it is almost impossible to mount the trim band stably on such a metal ring, an additional ring mounted on the fixing ring is used in the prior art. Such an additional ring generally has a snap-fastening outside profile serving to co-operate with the inside of the trim band which can preferably be provided with a complementary snap-fastening profile.
It has been observed that mounting a trim band on such an additional ring that is itself mounted on the metal fixing ring does not offer sufficient stability, the trim band therefore being somewhat unstable or having play.
An object of the present invention is to remedy that drawback of the prior art by defining a fluid dispenser whose trim band is mounted in properly fixed and stable manner on a metal fixing ring.
To this end, the present invention makes provision for the trim band to be mounted on a plastics ring overmolded onto the metal fixing member. The problem of the lack of stability of the trim band that arises from the metal-to-metal contact between the metal fixing ring and the additional metal ring is solved by using an overmolded plastics ring which acts as an interface offering some degree of flexibility between the metal fixing ring and the trim band. By using this particular overmolding technique, the plastics ring is guaranteed to fit snugly on the outside shape of the fixing ring, so that it is impossible for there to be any play between the plastics ring and the fixing ring. Preferably, the fixing ring includes a threaded sleeve engaged with an outside thread formed on the neck of the receptacle, the plastics ring being formed on said threaded sleeve. And, when the fixing ring is screwed onto the neck of the receptacle, said fixing ring has a threaded sleeve that has an undulating outside peripheral surface which corresponds to the negative of the inside thread. The overmolded plastics ring then fits snugly on the profile of the undulating surface of the sleeve, thereby further increasing the adhesion with which the plastics ring adheres to the sleeve.
According to a characteristic of the invention, the plastics ring is provided with a snap-fastening profile which projects radially outwards. In addition, the trim band is provided with an inside snap-fastening profile which co-operates by snap-fastening with the profile of the plastics ring. Preferably, the profile of the band is engaged under the profile of the ring, the band coming into abutment via its bottom end against the receptacle.
Another feature of the invention is that the trim band may be provided with a window via which the fluid is dispensed, advantageously via a spray nozzle.